NEW SHRINER HOSPITAL FOR KIDS TO BE BUILT, GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY!
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Groundbreaking! Now the construction begins! A "Kids Treatment Center for the next Century!".
The Board of Governors, of Shriners Children's Hospital Medical Center, Pasadena, California spent thousands of hours planning and working on this project. In the photo above, we are led by one of 'our kids' to "break ground. The great Larry Adamson former Chairman of the Board, shared his shovel with me as we officially 'broke ground'. "This was one of the happiest events I have experienced." Ben Boothe, Board Member. After a decade of planning and work the Shriners of LA with the DIVANS of New Mexico, Nevada,Arizona, California, gathered for a historic ground-breaking ceremony for the newest and most modern Children's treatment center in the nation. What is unique about the Shriner's Children's Hospitals, is that the 22 hospitals treat about 90,000 kids a year, and if the kids or their parents can't pay, the Shriners do it FOR FREE. Shriners, raise or donate $750,000,000 per year, to operate their hospitals for children. This hospital, in Pasadena will treat 700 to 1,000 children per month, at no charge. "We fly these kids in from all over the nation, indeed all over the world" said Ben Boothe, member of the Board of Governors. The Imperial Potentate as well as the Chairman of the Board of Governors David Doan recognized that the entire Shriner hospital system would follow the lead of Los Angeles in converting to a new model for treating children which is more efficient and medically better and safer for kids than past systems. The new model is a partnership and facility sharing partnership with the leading hospital in the area enabling Shriner doctors and nurses to:
New Shriner Hospital Medical Center, NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION Present were executives from Huntington Hospital, representatives of the U.S. Congress, the Mayor of Pasadena, the Chamber of Commerce, as well as a standing room only crowd of Shriners, Masons, fraternity executives, Potentates, the hospital staff as well as the Board of Governors (which contributed thousands of hours over a 10 year period to get this $77,000,000 hospital facility planned, designed, approved and now with the groundbreaking, started. T.V., radio and news reporters were present for the program which was moderated by Shrine kids (patients of our Shrine Hospital of LA) who had signs regulating humorously how long each speaker could talk and final control of the band to start playing when a speaker went over 3 minutes. It was a happy, energetic occasion and as Doug Maxwell Chairman of the national Shrine Board said: "Energy here today will catapult us to the future as progressive and innovative leaders in child medical care." The former Chairman of the Board of Governors, Larry Adamson, spoke and offered his gratitude to Pasadena, California and Huntington Hospital leaders, for joining in this new "Partnership for a new model of health care in America". While some hospitals and medical centers complain of high costs and struggles to survive, the Shriners have built a more efficient system for health care, and "We are expanding our ability to serve, working with the new health care environment."
This is a time to rejoice and celebrate all of the hard work that Shriners have done for kids!
Photo of one of 'our Shriner kids'
My prayer: "God make us worthy of the trust, these children put in us, in this mighty endeavor" Respectfully and Fraternally, on behalf of kids, Ben B. Boothe, Sr. Member, Board of Governors, Shriners Children's Hospitals Medical Center
Ben and Saneh Boothe, at Groundbreaking Saneh Boothe, (a member of the Screen Actor's Guild)SAG actress and voice over talent, from Persia, in the spirit of helping kids, volunteered to contribute her voice to do Public Service Announcements, for radio and TV, in Farsi and other languages, to broaden our reach of children who need medical care). Thanks to all who support this terrific work, that has been going on for 90 years. As Saneh Boothe says in a TV PSA, "If you know of a kid who needs medical care, CALL A SHRINER". Ben B. Boothe, Sr., Member of the Board of Governors, Representing New Mexico Shriners for New Mexico to LA 32 degree Scottish Rite, Valley of Santa Fe, Orient of New Mexico Member Chapman Lodge #2, NM and Charles F. Frank Lodge # 760, Zionsville, IN And proud to be a Shiner of Las Vegas, New Mexico and #18363, Ballut Abyad, Albuquerque, New Mexico and Shriner #13098 of Moslah Shriners, Fort Worth, Texas |
